Robb Ghag reviews Dexter #1….
“Dexter Morgan is not just an above-average forensic blood spatter expert. He’s also Miami’s friendly neighborhood crime-fighting serial killer! But Dexter’s “killing” streak gets put on hold, as he find himself trapped in a sticky situation – his high school reunion! The Skid Row Slasher, Miami’s newest serial killer, is racking up quite the body count. The rookie is giving good ol’ Dexter a run for his money. And Dexter’s problems are only beginning to multiply as his Dark Passenger, Dexter’s inner voice, screams for a little murderous fun to feed the need.“
It was a bold choice for Marvel to create a comic series based on Jeff Lindsay’s iconic killer character “Dexter”. If you’re a fan of the books or the TV series, your first thought would be why a company like Image, Dark Horse or DC’s Vertigo didn’t take on this series?
As we follow the life of Miami’s Finest blood splatter expert, I really got the feel of the TV series as Jeff Lindsay starts with early tales of Dexter in high-school through flashbacks, and of course how Dexter begins controlling his “dark passenger”.
Dalibor Talajic does a fantastic job illustrating Dexter, and capturing his emotions, which is no easy feat, considering Dexter has no emotions! The cover artwork is simple, but perfect in my opinion for the beginning of this series. I had seen some of Michael Del Mundo’s artwork before in Marvel Zombies, Wolverine, Hulk and Spider-Man, but for some reason this one, while uneventful, is one of the best he’s done.
It’s wrong to take this one story (or probably the entire series) and compare it to the TV show. Starting in a new medium like comics gives Dexter a brand new birth and the ability to go anywhere and do anything. Take it for what it’s worth – as the story progresses I am sure we’ll delve deeper and deeper into the mind of one of the world’s greatest murderers.
Robb Ghag works for an Arts & Entertainment Brokerage in Toronto Canada. An Animation and Film school graduate, he specializes in Risk Management of Animation and VFX studios throughout North America.
Originally published July 5, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
